IGNITES HEAD FOR SANTA MARIA, SKAGIT & COLUMBUS;

LAMB 2, CORRIHER 1 IN EAST; GOETZ WINS AGAIN AT ELMA

Western, Washington, Midwestern and Eastern events are on tap this weekend for USAC’s Ignite Midget Series. Wally Pankratz leads the Western Dirt Series to Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway Saturday, while Chase Goetz leads the Washington Dirt Series to Skagit Speedway in Alger, also Saturday. Saturday’s Midwest/Eastern combo at the Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway features Eastern point leader Chris Lamb and serves as the 2013 Midwest Pavement opener.

Lamb, of Colfax, N.C., swept both ends of Friday night’s twin-30-lap USAC Eastern Ignite Midget features at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C. In the first feature, Lamb passed Calvin Carroll on lap two and led the rest of the way to beat Scott Gordon, Nic Davidson, Blaine Leydig and Billy Gaule. Gaule led the first three laps of the closer, then Davidson led the next 18 before yielding to Lamb on lap 22. Leydig took second ahead of Mike Ward, Gaule and Wil Raber. Tyler Corriher of China Grove, N.C. led all but one lap of Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC Eastern Ignite Midget race at Caraway Speedway in Sophia, N.C. Lamb finished second ahead of Leydig, who led the opening lap. Raber was fourth and fast qualifier Davidson fifth.

Goetz, of Snohomish, Wash., remains undefeated in the 2013 USAC Washington Ignite Dirt Midget Series, but just barely! He trailed Garrett Thomas for 24 laps Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., then beat Thomas to the finish line by inches to win the 25-lap feature. Robby Vaughn was third, Jeremy Miller fourth and Elma Auto Racing Hall of Fame fast qualifier Dougie James fifth.